A silver light in the dark

Chapters

Prologue- A past best forgotten.
A stranger's special talent
A fire burning.
Quiet truth.

Prologue- A past best forgotten.

Smoke washes over the field in waves. Even under a half-moon, the light it casts catches the armor of the fallen who lay dead and motionless. A young Celestia and Luna gallop hard toward the sounds of the battle in the valley beyond. Tartarus had come to Equestria. Horrid, clawed, misshapen creatures battle ponies in every direction. Small winged beasts dart back and fourth, they tear pegasi from the sky and scratch at their faces and eyes. The smell of brimstone permeates the nostrils of all in attendance. Many soldiers fight and win their encounters, despite being grossly outnumbered. Other soldiers aren't so lucky, they are caught and drug into one of the dozen rifts, which had opened up in the ground.

A battle cry echoes across the field. Queen Galaxia and her captain stand back to back, cleaving and crushing all who came near. The Queen raises her warhammer and shouts a word of power. The battlefield lights up with holy fire from the sky. For a moment, the blood stained valley is as bright as the morning sunrise. The fire consumes an entire group of enemy, leaving all other demons blinded. The captain holds up his enchanted silver anklet, the sign of is Paladin-hood, and shouts as well. Despite him being an earth pony, there's magic in these words, ancient magic. Ponies who had staggered and fallen, pull themselves up and their wounds begin to heal. They stand, ready to fight by their queen's side once again.

Celestia and Luna ride toward their mother, slashing and stabbing the dazed demons with their arcane blades along the way. Celestia hesitates for a moment, but it's enough. A fallen monster reaches for her leg, tripping her sending her toppling to the ground in a flurry of flying limbs. The Queen notices instantly.

“Tia, Lulu?" The queen quickly looks between the two mares. "What are you doing here!?”

Luna parries two creatures, cutting them both down with one wide arc of her sword. She helps her sister to her hooves.

Celestia snarls. “Mother, we told you we can fight!”

The queen begins to yell again but stops and turns an ear to the wind. Her eyes jerks to the outskirts of the battle where she spots a ring of hooded figures, chanting. She turns back to her daughters.

“You want to help?! Stop them! Do NOT let them finish!”

Tia nods and looks at Luna, they rear up and gallop hard toward the chanters.

“Sister, look!” Luna shouts, pointing toward the center of the circle where an enormous rift was beginning to form.

Celestia slashes downward, dropping one of the defenseless chanters. Luna runs down another, wincing as her hooves crush the pony's chest. The two continue dancing around the circle, felling one right after the other until Celestia reaches the final figure. Inches from dealing the fatal blow, the chanter stops and the ground explodes. The hooded figure is consumed in the blast. The shock wave sends Celestia flying back into the trailing Luna. The sisters shake off the hit and stagger to their hooves. A giant claw as long as a pony's forearm grips the rim of the rift. A creature nearly three stories tall slowly rises out of the flames.

The queen's captain arrives at the edge of the pit and brings his sword to bear.

"You shall not win this day creature." He says calmly, shaking his head. He turns his eyes to Luna and gives her a wink. She blushes and turns away slightly. Her champion was here.

The demon is the first to move, he inhales a deep breath and unleashes a torrent of flames at the captain. He gracefully hops left, still not taking his eyes off the creature. Upon landing, he springs forward, leaping across the pit, landing a deep wound in the hip of the monster. It shrieks a cry of pain as the enchanted metal bites into its blacked flesh. The two were evenly matched at first, the demon slicing at the pony but only hitting air. The captain took this opportunity to cut and stab at the offending hand, slicing off its pointer claw. The monster howled in protest. As the skirmish went on however, the demon scored a few lucky strikes. The cuts were small, but they were enough. The evil beast had a paralytic poison in its claws. The captain did his best to fight the beast despite not being able to move but it proved too much for him.

The large demon, seeing his victory imminent, smiles and lets out a frightening laugh. The massive claw glows red and swipes at him. The metal armor splits under the attack. To the princesses there seemed to be no pain. The creature had killed him instantly. He brings his gored claw up to his mouth and licks, slowing turning his eyes to Luna.

“No” Luna whimpers, Tears welling up in her eyes. Her captain, her Paladin... Her love. The only pony left that was more powerful than he, was mother. The strongest pony on the face of Equis... was cut down like wheat at harvest.

“Tia, get your sister out of here, NOW!” The queen commands, positioning herself between the demon and her daughters.

“Myyy, Myy.” The large demon says in a golden voice. “How old you have gotten my queen.” He bows low still waist deep in his hole. His claws and mouth dripping with the fresh blood of her captain.

“Tia!” The queen repeats, still not taking her eyes off the towering creature.

“Oh and who is this?” The demon asks, peering over the queen's head at the two young Alicorns. “My queen, you have been busy." He winks at her. "Hmm, they have their father’s strong chin, his magnificent horn... humph everything” He laughs a deep, rich laugh that vibrates the air.

"Abomination! Do not DARE speak of my husband in front of me! He gave his life to protect his family!" Queen Galaxia screams.

"Oh yes my queen... I know." The demon grin never leaving his horrid face. He reaches into his pit and tosses out a mangled hunk of onyx colored pony armor. He smiled again as understanding crept its way to her face. His sadistic eyes soaking in her grief.

“Mother we can fight!” Luna insists, readying a spell. Celestia nods, agreeing and raising her magic blade. Luna ached for the blood of the creature.

Galaxia turns with tears in her eyes and her last sweet smile on her lips; she speaks to the two loves of her life. “My beautiful Sun. My stunning Moon… I need you to live.”

Luna looks at her mother with confusion, when she finally realizes what her mother is saying it was too late. Before Luna can protest, Celestia's blade winks out. She uses all the magical strength she had left to restrain Luna and drag her up on her back. With tear filled eyes and knowing in her heart she gallops away. This is the last time either one of them will see their mother again. The Queen drops her head and pick up her beloved captain’s sword. With both warhammer and broadsword gripped in her magic, she shouts another battle cry and charges towards the fiery pit.

A stranger's special talent

"Get back here ya luggage stealing varmint!" Applejack shouts, bowling over half a dozen exiting train passengers.

"This is all a big misunderstanding! I wasn't stealing it, I was helping her with it!" The hooded pony pleads over his shoulder... but doesn't slow down.

"Likely story! You be sure to tell it to the guards!" Applejack fumes, her powerful legs drive her closer and closer to her mark.

"Ahhh, Kii re wux zyak temep!?" (Why are you so fast?!) He huffs, still not daring to slow his pace. "I thought you ponies were nice!"

After clearing the platform, Applejack and the criminal barrel down mane street. In the open space, she gains ground. Inches from making her move, her vision is obscured by a heavy fabric.

"That little... He took of his cloak. That's still not gonna be enough tah save em'. "Wait.. where'd he go?"

She managed to shake the garment from her vision, but when she opens her eyes, he was gone. "Left, nope. Right, nope... Up? Gotcha."

"You git down here and fight me like a stallion!"

"Fight?... I don't wanna fight you, you repaiup (crazy) mare! I just wanna OOFF." His attempt at diplomacy is cut off by a blue blur that not only knocks the wind out of his lungs, but brings them both crashing to the ground.

"Nice shootin' Rainbow Dash!"

"No problem A.J." The rainbow pegasus grins, standing over her prize. "I saw you running and shouting at this guy here and figured I'd lend you a hoof. Although... I did hit him pretty hard, he's probably gonna be uncon ..."

"Oww, Sia fothisev (my head)" He groans, shaking the stars from his vision.

"..scious?" She finishes, looking down in bewilderment.

Applejack cracks a wild smile "Good, now he'll feel it when I beat the stuffin' out of 'em."

"Si mi ti vi virlym!" (I'm not a thief!) The prone pegasus winces for a beating that never comes.

"Applejack, Aapplejaack! Tarnation you silly filly, git off em'." Granny Smith hobbles out of breath up to the group. "This young stallion was nice enough to help me with my bags and you just went on jumpin' to conclusions. Just look at the poor thing, ya'll get off em'. Go on now."

Applejack and Rainbow Dash looked down once more just in time to see the pegasus give them a sheepish smile.

Allowing him to stand up, the girls get their first good look at him. The cloak had obscured his true age, for he's far younger than they realized. His grey coat was caked in dust from the impromptu flying spear tackle but was no worse for wear. His short, messy mane is shade of cobalt, the tips of his wings were the same, which among pegasi, was unique. His eyes are a bright copper color and he stands as tall as Big Mac but not nearly as husky. He's certainly far more muscular than other pegasi besides Bulk-Biceps for sure. An intricate steel bangle is seen clasped around his left forearm and his cutie mark is winged-sword superimposed over a darkened background. They only have a moment to take in his from before their eyes bulge at a very real broadsword strapped between his wings. "Coi kiri kiarf ekess tor ihk huena ekess ti qe lowda svadrav si show svern creol svaklar? Wux xoal vur tir wer harkt youwe, shar thric. pothoc weloh jivi, neri ve ekik di wer svant." He says, under his breath trying to dust himself off. (Is it too much to ask for once to not be attacked when I show up some where? You try and do the right thing, but no. Stupid pony, spears me out of the sky.)

"Uhh sorry about that hon. We Apples are very protective of our own ya know." Applejack apologizes trying to help him dust off with her stetson.

"Yeah, uhh, sorry about that Mr?..." Rainbow looks into his eyes, asking for a name.

"Oh, umm. Orn,... but you can call me Silver." He says bowing his head a little.

"Well, shucks. There ain't no need to bow fella. I ain't no princess or nothin'" Applejack laughs, holding out a traditional hoof bump.

He studies her gesture for a moment before cautiously bringing his own hoof to hers.

Not missing a chance for a awesome story, Rainbow cuts in with a slurry of questions. "Weird name, Cool sword, you know how to use it? Where'd you get it? You ever fight a gryphon? If you have wings...... why were you on the train?"

He blinks, and pauses before answering. "Uhh, I guess, Thank you, Yes? In a cave. I don't make a habit of it and... I like trains?" He finishes with a bashful smile.

She studies him a moment before answering, sounding a little disappointed. "Cool, kinda boring.. but cool."

"Forgive me for pryin' sugar cube but that's a little unusual for a pony name. Where are you from exactly?"

"Uhh, Well, I wasn't born in Equestria." He replies, thinking that would be good enough of an answer. These mares however, weren't having it.

"Oh, that's cool. You never see that! Where were you born then?" Rainbow Dash asks with renewed enthusiasm.

Silver shuffles nervously but tries to reply. Thankfully he's saved by Granny Smith. "Girls please. This fine young stallion has no time to be chewin' the curd with you two in the middle of the road. He needs to be gettin' settled in for work tomorrow."

"What do you mean granny?" Applejack asks, eyeing her grandmare.

"Oh didn't I tell you before I left for Appaloosa that we'd be gettin' a new farm hoof?"

"Yeah, but I figured it be somepony from the Apple family not, no offense, a pegasus."

"Hey! Just what in the hay is THAT supposed to mean?" Rainbow snorts.

"I'm just sayin' Rainbow. It ain't every day you see a pegasus workin' the fields. That's almost always an earth pony's job."

Rainbow ponders this for a second before narrowing her eyes at the new guy. "Yeah, I guess it is kinda weird."

"Wait, why? Me and Big Mac have handled Sweet Apple Acres for years, why do we even need him?" No pony, not even Granny Smith could question her work ethic.

"Don't get your tail in a twist Applejack, it's only temporary. It's.."

"Cause little sis." A smooth bass voice from behind the two friends forced them to turn around in surprise. "I got your letter Granny, I'll be headed out on the next train."

"Be sure you do Big Macintosh. Braeburn has made a mess of things and needs your help some kinda' bad." Granny says, shaking her head. "Come now Shiny, we need to get you set up in the bunk house before tomorrow. Celestia's sun and apple buckin' season waits for nopony."

"Actually my name is.... Sigh Yes ma'am, lead the way." He says, trotting over to grab his trampled cloak. However, Rainbow notices something a bit peculiar. Instead of using his hoof to pick it up, he used his wing tips like a set of grabbers; pinching the fabric between them and stuffing it into his saddle bags. Now Rainbow wasn't a picky pony by any means, but she was damn near obsessive with her wing care. She would never do something so... pedestrian with her own.

"Huh, Must be a "not from Equestria thing." She shrugs it off, waves by to the Apple family and the new pegasus in town before jetting off into the clouds.

"I'll be home a little later Granny, I need to go to the hardware store again and grab another pick. Breakin' new ground on the north field has already ate up two this week."

"Oh, can you swing by the market and pick me up a bottle of that cherry bourbon they have Applejack? I sure would like a taste after my long trip." Granny pleads, smacking her lips.

"Ugh, Sure thing Granny, just take it easy this time. We don't need another sexual harassment lawsuit."

"Uhhh... Sexual what now?" Silver asks, unsure if he heard right.

"Hush now Applejack. Just hurry along and get your granny her bourbon"

She eyed her grandmother who was ogling a very uncomfortable stallion before gradually walking toward the market.

It didn't take long for Granny Smith to get Silver settled. Thankfully after her long trip, she passed out even before her grand daughter came back with the booze. He thanked the sisters for that. Applejack knocked at the small bunk house door before pushing it open.

"Alright Mr. luggage thief, you best be settlin' in... Hey, where'd he go?" She sees his saddlebags laying on an open bunk, but didn't see the new pegasus anywhere. She walks around the outside of the building and hears the faint whoosh of wings and the light shuffling of hooves in the dirt. She rounds the corner and is taken back at what she sees. Silver, poised with his sword held low. The grip clutched with the lightest touch in his wing. With grace and power, he moves. She watches his muscles and follows the edge of his blade as it arced and cut slow pieces out of the air, his hooves work in perfect unison around an invisible opponent. He slices, thrusts, parries, pivots, wing-strikes, switches the sword to the other wing and repeats. He quickens his pace until the sword can no longer be seen. After a blinding flurry of blows he leapt into the air and delivered a finishing blow to the dirt, causing a small dust ring to puff out in all directions. "Si mi wer mitne persvek wer whedabra" He chants under his breath. Applejack, finally broken from her hypnotism, clears her throat. This made him stiffen up and slowly turn to meet his observer.

"Uhh, sorry. I didn't see you there... I was just, uhh. Whats up?." He said looking like he just got caught with his hoof in the cookie jar.

No, I'm sorry, I shoulda' called out or somethin'.... I was just makin' sure you had everything ya needed... You and me gotta get up a bit earlier tomorrow. I gotta make sure you know what you're doin' before I cut you loose on this here farm." She said, pointing to her orchards, calling attention away from her blush.

He sheathed his sword and gave her a small smiled. "Sure thing boss."

"Night... Criminal." She grinned back and headed off to the house.

The next morning comes early for the pegasus. Too early. He is woken up by a pair of unforgiving hooves, violently shaking him awake.

"Ugh, you win. I'm up, I'm up."

"Didn't I tell you I'd be here early?" Applejack asks, way to cheery for the hour.

"Yeah... early. Not... Whatever the hay this is. "

"Oh, quit your belly aching. You should of went to bed instead of sword fighting the air last night. Besides, I brought breakfast."

His enthusiasm at a hearty meal is quickly cut off as she jammed an apple in his mouth.

"You know...." He starts, holding the apple in a hoof. "In a certain light, this would be kind of romantic. A mare bringing a stallion breakfast in bed, pretty roma... Offf." For the second time in less than twelve hours he had his breath knocked out of him by a mare... This time by a earth pony hoof.

"Fine...You win...again. Not romantic" He manages to wheeze before she turns and huffs out the door.

Even though Silver hated the waking up part of the early hours, the morning itself wasn't so bad. The slight dew on the grass, the chill of the night holding on against the warmth of the rising sun. It was a magical time of the day... A time of the day in which Applejack seemed to have no interest in. She stands by a nearby apple tree, taping her hoof impatiently.

"Okay sugar cube, show me what you got." She raised a hoof and pointed at the bright red apples hanging in the tree. "The goal is to get at least 90% of apples to fall in these here baskets with one kick. Think you can do that?"

"I'll try..." He answered, gulping hard at Applejack's scrutiny .

"I would love to say don't worry about doin' a good job but... Honestly hon, I can't afford to come do your portion of the work too. I tired buckin' the whole orchard by myself once... It didn't go well."

Silver raises an eyebrow to this. That WAS a daunting task, he saw how big the orchard was on the way here. Not to be too undeterred by her judging, he walks up and faces the tree.

Applejack groaned inwardly. "Sweet merciful Celestia, he don't even know which way to face the dang tree. Granny, just what kinda pony..."

Applejack didn't know what happened until it was over. Silver lowers his gaze at the tree and, with unseen speed, his wings snap forward, impacting at different heights on each side. She didn't even notice that all but a few of the apples had fallen safely into the baskets. She only looks on in amazement, trying to process what she just witnessed. She finally came to her senses, holding her hat down like it was going to blow away at any second.

"Well laaand sakes Shug. I've never seen anythin' like that before. I didn't even know pegasi could do that! Rainbow always said her wings were too sensitive to do anything rough with 'em." She blushed as the memory of how she actually knew that, surfaced in her mind... Memory for another time she supposed.

"Ehh, around I guess." He shrugs trying to be as nonchalant as possible. He was also relieved. He was always worried not being useful to the family that basically kept him from living on the street.

"Well, I guess I'll leave you to it then." She pats him on the shoulder

"Woo, good work today Mr. Thief. I think you may give Big Mac a run for his bits." She gave him a cheesy grin. Silver noticed the way the sweat and dirt lingered on her strong neck and legs. He tried not to think about how she would look in the shower, her hooves running slowly all over her body.... His impromptu fantasy was cut off as she stretched and moaned, he was forced to look away before his own wings betrayed his proud and stoic expression of a hard days work.

"Soo I was wonderin', me and the girls have a small picnic planned at Twilight's to watch the sunset this evening. If you ain't got nothin' else goin' on, would you wanna come? The'll be plenty of food. Plus it will give you a chance to meet my friends." Ah apples, why am I blushing?

Caught off guard by Applejack's enthusiasm, Silver fumbled for words, hoping his demeanor wouldn't betray his inner thoughts. "Uhh, that sounds nice Applejack... I wouldn't want to intrude on your...Dryicir" (Gathering)

"My what now?" She giggles in confusion.

He groans, trying to sound out the word. "Pic-a-nick."

She suppresses a second giggle. "It's no bother at 'tall, besides. You earned it, seein' is how you did such a good job today." She finishes by patting him on the head jokingly.

"Fine, fine. let me take a shower first and I'll meet you there, iacoen?" (Deal)

"Don't be too long. If Pinkie Pie finds out you've been hiding here at the farm... I can't be held responsible for what happens to ya."

He lowers his eyes and frowns a bit. He didn't know what a Pinkie Pie was but it sounded terrifying... and poofy.

Silver stood in front of the giant crystal tree-castle... thing and knocks on the front door. After a moment, he hears the shuffling of claws. It opens, to reveal a small purple and green dragon. The two stand there for a minute looking strangely at each other. Spike's face scrunches up in confusion before his eyes go wide. "Uhh, w..w..who a..are you?" Spike stutters. Silver is taken back for a moment as well, not expecting to see a dragon, then gives Spike a grin.

"Hello sart ir" (small one) Silver glowered. "I was invited by Applejack for a.. pic-a-nik."

"No picnic." Spike gulps. "They are up on the balcony around back." Spike finished, getting his voice back. Silver nods and flies away. Spike on the other hoof, shut the door and slumps against the wall, visibly shaking. "That stallion gives me the willies."

Silver took to the air, laughing to himself. "Svabol vin jirank moxt nuwa'jimos" (What an scared little hatchling)

"Oh no, lookout everypony!" Rainbow shouts in mock terror, pointing to their new visitor. "Here comes stranger danger!" Silver swoops in to the balcony where he sees a small wooden table. There were two new ponies he didn't recognize.

"Oh, quit it Rainbow." Applejack chides. Trying to suppress a laugh of her own. "Don't be insultin' my... our guest."

Rainbow sulks for a moment before popping up out of her seat, remembering the important task she needed to accomplish. Even before Silver could fully land, she was on him, pulling and poking his wings. She was checking for any broken bones or deformities that he would have sustained from the tale Applejack had told them about his preferred method of apple bucking. She didn't suspect A.J. of lying so it HAD to be a trick by the newcomer. She would have picked and prodded for another ten minutes if Rarity hadn't cleared her throat in a very unladylike like manner. "Rainbow Dash, If you are quite done... molesting our guest. I'm sure he would like to sit down and have a bite to eat?"

Rainbow cocks an eyebrow, not quite sure what she meant... before she turns five shades of red. The multi-multi-colored mare turns slowly toward her subject and finds him breathing heavy with his wings almost fully extended.

"Nnnnn..." Was all Rainbow could muster before slowly backing up toward her spot at the table... She wouldn't be saying anything else for the rest of the evening.

Thoroughly embarrassed, and trying to suppress a huge grin. He only said, "What a welcome!"

"Sorry about that darling, Rainbow can get a little... over zealous about the topic of wings. But where my manners. I. am. Rarity."

She boasts, pawing a bit at her curly mane.

"You've already met Applejack and Rainbow Dash." Applejack pulls her stetson over her face to hide her embarrassment for her friend. While Rainbow slouches further in her chair, groaning, covering her own face with her mane and wings. Rarity continues. "And this is Fluttershy, don't worry about her speaking much she's very shy."

Shy wouldn't be the word Silver would have used. Terrified, scared, traumatized. Yeah, those were better words. Fluttershy cowers behind her wings and tea cup, putting as much mass as she could between her and the new pegasus.

"She's a bit shy? Fluttershy dear! Are you okay?" Rarity fretted, putting a hoof over her friends neck to see if she could still find a heart beat. Fluttershy, realizing what she was doing, squeaked and slowly backed up away from Silver.

"Oh no, is Fluttershy okay?" A new voice spoke up from behind them. A purple alicorn stepped onto the balcony, followed by a pink earth mare who had a stack of cupcakes perched dangerously on her back. Upon seeing him, the poofy mare's eyes went unnaturally wide. Silver, looked around for help, but sadly, no help came. He bore the brunt of a Pinkie Pie, new pony, hurricane.

"Oh my gosh! It's been so long since we've had a new pony in Ponyville! What's your name? Where are you from? Do you have any secrets that you can't tell any pony because if you did you would..." A transparent lavender bubble formed around the overly chatty mare, effectively cutting off her psychic rant. Strangely enough, not a single pastry was lost.

"Why don't you tell us a little bit about yourself before Pinkie Pie ruins it for us... again." Twilight says chuckling and placing the bubbly pink mare into her seat.

Now the center of attention of six cute mares, nervous, extremely turned on by the wing play and trying his best to bite into his sandwich without looking at anypony. Silver begins to recount his travels to his captive audience.

"Umm... Hello everypony. I'm sure Applejack told you already but, my name is Silver Light. Lets see... I was born on the tiny island chain of Darastrixi othi. I am an only child. I like trains. I am.."

" Hmm, I'm not familiar with that location." Twilight interrupted, almost accusingly. Her extensive knowledge didn't just venture into magic and science but geography and history as well. She didn't recall any place with a name as unique as that.

"Oh... It's probably called... Dragon's Mouth...Thric, batobot ui ti harkt. Oh, Dragon's Teeth in Equestrian." Silver answers, after searching for the words.

"You keep doin' that sugar cube. I heard you do that a bunch yesterday, what is it?" Applejack asks.

"Oh, sorry. That's my native tongue. I know Equestrian pretty much perfectly, but every now and then I slip back into it when I'm nervous or excited. Old habits and all that." He smiles apologetically.

"No worries dude, It sounds kinda cool." Rainbow Dash spoke up, but quickly realized she wasn't over her embarrassment quite yet and slumps back down in her chair.

"Ohh?" Twilight ponders for a moment before it dawns on her. "OHH! That's fascinating." She claps her hooves together in a giddy fashion. "No wonder I didn't recognize the language. That's Draconic! There has to be like... three ponies that even speak it in Equestria. All of which are professors in Canterlot! And of course the princesses. Where did you learn it at?"

"Oh...umm. My parents were really obsessed with dragons. My father was an independent researcher under contract for the Saddle Arabian government. He was trying to find evidence of elder dragons deep in the surrounding deserts. That's where he met my mother. That's why they gave me a pony name in draconic. My name translates as Silver Light in Equestrian, but Orn Mitne is my birth name. "

"So your dad, met you mother... in the deserts of Saddle Arabia?" Twilight asks disbelievingly.

"Yeah... They're uhh, two of a kind." Silver gave a half chuckle, trying not to venture further into that line of questions.

"That's soo romantic." Rarity, thankfully, cuts in batting her eyes. "You never know when the pony of your dreams will just plop into your life... You simply must tell us, where have you been? Certainly, this isn't your first time in Equestria?"

"Actually it is." He smiles excitedly. He had practiced this speech for months just in case he ever got the opportunity to tell a fellow pony.

"I've traveled a lot with my parents when I was younger. I've been to every continent except this one." He smiled, motioning his arm at the setting horizon. "Dragons, gryphons, minotaurs, zebras... Saber cats. Just about every culture and race except pony. My parents avoided them, whether it was on accident or on purpose I still don't know. I finally got a chance for a vacation so I figured I'd take the chance to see the world and well, here I am." He finished with a smile.

"There you are indeed." Rarity whispered, hiding her seductive smile behind her tea cup.

"So let me get this straight? You just showed up in Equestria with no money, not knowing any pony and just hoped for the best? And why would your parents avoid ponies in the first place?" Pinkie asked with another raised eyebrow. "I mean, that's just nutty... and that's coming from me!"

He nodded to the first question. "Axun (yes), and It was mainly my mother who wanted me to be around other cultures when I grew up, something about an outside perspective? My mother is... very strange." He laughs again at some unspoken joke. "I've had more dragon friends in my life than pony." All the girls now raise an eyebrow. They've had run-ins with dragons before, none of which seemed like friend material. Noticing their disbelieving stares, he quickly retorted.

"It's true! My parents lived among them. That's partly why my wings are so tough. A young colt is no match for a young dragon." He finished by flexing his wings out.

"Does that have anythin' to do with why you carry that sword around?" Applejack asks. "Ain't swords usually meant for the guard ponies and the like?"

"Oh, that. Well yes and no. I got it the same time I got my Cutie Mark. Traveling around to dragon roosts puts one in danger quite a lot. They often build their lairs in cliff faces, active volcanoes, deep in swamp lands... under water caves... That's where I found my sword." The table gawked at him like he just grew a horn and announced himself the king of Equestria.

With this, Rainbow finally finds the courage to speak up. "You mean the one strapped to your back yesterday, you stole it from a dragon's cave when you were a colt!?"

He nods. "Well... Stole isn't quite right. A dragon wasn't living in it at the time." The girls exhaled their held breath.

"Oh my, don't give me a heart attack dear, you should have told us it was empty from the beginning." Rarity said in relief, fanning herself.

"Oh, I said there wasn't a dragon in it, I didn't say it was empty." He grinned mischievously at their reaction, recalling the events in his mind.

"Ahhh, I'm sooo bored!" A young Silver shouts into the icy wind of the south pole.

"Stupid cave, stupid parents. Can't hold your breath they said, it's dangerous they said, stay up here they said. Well forget that! "Si mi vi bensvelk pab austratar" (I am a good swimmer.) He bragged, pounding his chest.

Silver flew up and pitched himself into a dive. He crashes beneath the icy surf, he immediately regrets the decision.

"So, I dove down into the freezing water and immediately got swept away in an undercurrent and was forced to the sea floor." The girls gasped.

"Well what'd you do?" Rainbow had leaned forward, both hooves under her chin like a filly at bed time. She almost took up the entire table to get closer to the story teller.

"The water was clear enough that I could see; I saw a dark spot which seemed like a cave so I drug myself across the bottom and climbed into it. I was hoping there was a giant air pocket inside. I figured it might be the abandoned cave my parents were looking for all along."

Silver coughed and gasped, throwing up the sea water in his lungs. His hacking echoed in the frigid cave. It looked like the underwater passage had lead to a nearby glacier. He stood, shook the standing water off his coat and peered into the dimly lit cave, letting his eyes adjust. That was the second worst decision of the day so far. Corpses and bones of unidentifiable creatures lay strewn about the area. The blue ice had soaked up so much blood, the floor was nearly black with it. Silver panicked, backpedaling to the edge of the water. "Nomeno goawy ui marfedelom" He whispered.

Silver peered into the still water. He knew it was a big risk to jump back in since the current nearly drowned him the first time. Exiting this way was a last resort. He shook off the ice that had formed on his wings and took to the air. Even with his natural pegasus resistances, his body shivered and convulsed trying to warm up. He glides over a mass cluster of sharp ice stalagmites and stalactites, shifting his wings to avoid them. The cave is enormous. Thankfully there weren't any side passages, just one expansive chamber that seemed to go on for miles. Despite the crippling cold, he was still amazed at how beautiful it was down here. The ice formed a sharp contrast between the water smoothed cave surface and the jagged points of the spikes. The spires of ice cause the faint light to fracture and form dozens scattered auroras that wavered as he passed through the sunlight. Silver comes to the end of the cave and nearly falls out of the sky. There it was, in all it's glory. An elder dragon's hoard.

"Ohhh darling." Rarity practically drooled into her tea cup. "What was it like? You didn't manage to keep it, did you?

"The central pile was the size of a two story home and about twice as round. Diamonds, gold, rubies, sculptures, ornate crowns, and even ceremonial weapons and armor. The treasure of an elder dragon. It was stacked so high, the top part had frozen into the ceiling of the cave." Silver said, motioning with his hooves and wings. Even though there were years between then and now, there was still sense of awe still in his voice. "That's when I knew that the cave had long been abandoned. A dragon is obsessive about his hoard." The girls smiled a silent agreement, recalling their own experiences with Spike.

"You said you didn't take any treasure sugar cube, what about that?" Applejack points to his silver bangle.

Silver visibly recoils and hides his forearm, as if he didn't like the fact that the girl's eyes had caught his jewelry. "This... this was a gift. From a very old friend." Since Applejack had spent the most time with him, she notices a sad, far away look in his eyes. "I got this a few years after I got my cutie mark, it kind of has to do with my special talent I guess."

"Oooo!" Pinkie perks up. "Mine is making ponies smile and throwing AWESOME PARTIES!" Balloons and streamers explode from around her and she does her best to stand on her back hooves, placing the front two on her hips like a comic book superhero. "What's your special talent?!"

Silver smiles. "Let me continue my story, maybe you'll figure it out."

The young Silver's hooves crunch and clink over the frozen treasure. He wanders aimlessly through the piles and piles of riches, most of which towered over the adolescent pegasus. He was never really one for riches. His family never stayed in on place for more than a month or two before moving on. He didn't really know why any one needed money. He always got what he needed from the world itself. That was until he felt a invisible force tug him to a seemingly identical pile of treasure, completely indistinguishable from the others. He frantically dug into the pile, he didn't know what he was searching for but he knew that he would know when he found it. He unceremoniously tossed aside millions of bits worth of gold and jewels. Silver let out a gasp when he saw it. A simple broadsword, completely untouched by the ravages of time. The rest of the world drops away, all the riches in the world paled in comparison to this perfect thing. He reaches down and grasps the scabbard in his hooves, wrenching it away from the pile of gold. For a moment it doesn't budge. It was like the gold knew what was being taken and didn't want to part with it. With a final heave, Silver stumbles to his back, holding the sword in front of him. He smiles, knowing that no matter what, this thing was coming with him and would be his forever. His musings were cut off by the soft sound of breathing behind him. Still on his back, clutching the sword, he looks up and fear grips his body. It was an Aboleth.

The small shriek that escaped Fluttershy's lips causes everypony, including Silver, to jump out of their coats. "A...a..a..An Aboleth?" Fluttershy asks, shaking more like a leaf than usual. "What did you do?" She whispers.

"Woah, woah. Time out." Rainbow cuts her off, making a 'T' out of her forelegs. "Just what in Equestria is this Abo-whats-it?" She looks around the table questioningly.

Fluttershy refused to answer. She was worried that just talking about it would cause one to show up in the lake behind the tree house.

Twilight cleared her throat and spoke in a hushed tone. "An Aboleth is an ancient, ancient creature. History says that they were around before the makers gave form to the land and sky. They have... terrifying physic powers and their only goal is to bend ponies minds to their will and make them slaves. It is said that when the makers decided to form Equis, they either killed or drove out the Aboleths."

"Well that's good right? I mean, so this one was like a new one, not one of the old ones." Rainbow asked, looking for relief. This thing was nightmare fuel.

"That's the thing Rainbow." Twilight Continues. "Aboleths have generational memory, meaning they never forget anything they learn and pass it down to their offspring, forever... They never forget."

The group slowly turns to Silver. "Well don't stop there dude!" Rainbow ushers him to continue.

Silver is frozen. For what seems like a solid thirty minutes, the two just stare at one another. Its black lifeless eyes secretly search through his inner most fears and fantasies. He thinks his life is about to be cut extremely short, but hears a voice in his head.

"Curious." He hears.

"Uhh, hello?" He answers, unsure of himself. The creature doesn't respond. Its gaping maw sat unmoving and the eyes continue to stare at him, unblinking. "Si mi zyak loex" (I am so dead) Silver thinks to himself. He hears the soft sadistic laughter of the creature echo in his mind.

"Yes, yes you are"

With a mighty roar, the Aboleth torques a massive tentacle around and brings it straight down on top of the prone Silver. Not knowing what to do and fearing for his life, he flaps his wings hard. The feathers bite into the icy floor and he slides out of way, just in time for the appendage to crack the ice where he was just laying. The old cave shutters in protest at the sudden impact. Loose chunks of ice fall from the ceiling, impacting all around the tiny pony. Silver uses the old strap on the sword to sling it to his back. He thought for a moment how comical he must look, the sword is longer than his body. He is shaken out of his thoughts when the creature flexes again, sending another one of its tentacles toward him, this time horizontal with the floor. Silver jumps over the attack and takes to the air. He flies up and over the Aboleth back the way he entered the cave. Thankfully it's a water dwelling creature. An Aboleth is an apex predator under the waves but for how terrifying it is in the water, it's just as clumsy on the land. Silver looks over his shoulder and sees the it squirming to turn around on the ice. Silver makes it back to the lagoon where he had first entered the cave. He frantically searches for another way out but it soon dawns on him... He's trapped. There is no way he's going to outrun the Aboleth underwater under prefect conditions, certainly not now where the water was frigid and the current strong. Knowing what must be done, Silver lowers his head and turns to face the approaching creature.

Silver once again hears the cruel voice of the Aboleth in his head. You, you are the first mortal since the beginning to resist our compulsions. Do you not have any desires, or fears pony? Do you now wish for true peace? Silver hears the questions echo in his mind. He just shakes his head.

"You mean besides not being killed and turned into that?" Silver points a hoof at one of the carcasses, he decides to ignore the second question. The Aboleth studies him carefully before slowly reaching out with its appendage. Silver reaches over his shoulder and takes the sword grip in his mouth and with one twist of his head, brings the blade down on top of the slimy tentacle. Silver recoils and falls to the ground as he hears a shrill cry echo in his mind. He instinctively mashes his hooves into his hears and drops the sword to the ice with a hollow clang. Despite his obvious disadvantage, Silver recovers first. He picks up the sword and takes to the air once again. This time however, the Aboleth is prepared and slaps at him with its uninjured limb. Silver is almost out of reach but feels the blunt trauma of a tentacle impact his flank, sending him tumbling uncontrollably through the air. He smashes into one of the hanging ice stalagmites, causing it to shatter on the ice below.

At this point, Fluttershy is in full panic mode. The rest of the girls are in shock except Rainbow who may have just found a replacement for Daring Do. "So what happened next?" Rainbow almost shouts.

"Well, the stalagmites gave me and idea. I made the Aboleth chase me. I used the sword to loosen a few of the larger spikes and when it attacked me over and over again, they finally came down on top of it, crushing him. I guess I got hit with a small chunk of ice because when I woke up, I was on our boat. My sword was laying next to me and I had this." He turned his flank to the girls, showing his Cutie Mark.

"You're just like Daring Do?! That is so awesome!" Rainbow beames. It makes her face squish up and her lips poke out. He laughs out loud at the adorable display, drawing confused looks from the girls. "No, no. Daring... Sigh Her talent is more of the treasure hunting, temple diving type. Mine focuses more on exploring, discovery, than treasure. I've done all sorts of jobs really: Map making, shipbuilding, bartending and even a barber. Wherever keeps me fed. Although, I have hunted my fair share of treasure too." He finished.

"Well sugar cube, that sounds like a mighty exciting life so I gotta ask... why the hay are you here? I mean, not that you ain't welcome. We sure do love makin' new friends just as much as the next pony but, pretty boring most of the time."

"That's exactly why I'm here Miss Applejack. I'm on a... jikmada. Umm... Vac-ati-on? I have seen many things about the world around Equestria, but nothing about where my roots are. So I came here."

"But why Ponyville?" The recovered Fluttershy asks, genuinely intrigued.

"Well, I figure what better place to start learning about ponies, than a place with pony in the name..." He finished with an accomplished look on his face.

He watched in amusement as all the girls, simultaneously, tilted their heads to the side.

"What?"

He flinched at the laughter that erupted around the table. Pinkie and Rainbow Dash hung off of one another while the rest of the girls did their best to hold in their delight with a hoof or two. That's when Rarity let out a snort and the laughter began up again.

"Oh my darling, that is such a stallion answer, very straight forward. And to answer you question, yes. Ponyville is a wonderful way to start your holiday. We have all types of ponies here, you could learn a lot." Rarity says, fixing her frizzy mane after the laughter session. "I am a bit confused however. If you are on vacation, why are you working at Applejack's farm?"

He rubs the back of his head "Oh, I have to stay busy. I have been active my entire life. Always moving, always occupying my hooves or my mind with something. If I don't, I'm afraid I will go crazy." He marks his point by twirling his hooves next to his head.

"You are a good worker partner, but like I said after I mistook you for a luggage thief, why not do a job more suited for a pegasus... like weather duty, ya know, moving clouds and the like. Rainbow Dash here could probably get your hoof in the door if you asked nicely. Probably pays a bit more than I could too..." Applejack asks, kind of wishing she didn't mention it.

"Oh... uhhh. It's kind of embarrassing. If I told you do you think you girls could keep in a secret?"

They all gained a very stern look on their faces. Apparently secrets were a very important thing to them... Plus every mare loved gossip.

"You see... I can't."

"Huh?" Twilight grunted.

"I can't move clouds... or make weather. Heck, I can't even touch clouds. I just pass right through them. I've tried everything. Other than a spell or cloud walking potion, I am just like any other non-Pegasus.

Rainbow couldn't believe it. Being able to walk on clouds and make weather was almost important as being able to fly! I mean... What would she do if she couldn't take her cloud naps?! This is an evil thing and it must be corrected. With a "We'll see about that." She jets up into a nearby cloud bank, grabs a chunk of cloud and makes her way back down to Silver.

"See, just stick out your hooves and touch the clouds. Too easy."

Silver stood, rolled his eyes with a... "Not gonna help." look and stuck out his hooves. She positioned the cloud between them and with a small flap of her wings, found herself muzzle to muzzle with the pegasus. The puffy white cloud now floating harmlessly behind him. They pause for a moment, their eyes locked together but both quickly realize how dangerously close their lips were to each other, so with a blush and an awkward shove, they both separate.

"I guess you're right..." Rainbow's embarrassed brain couldn't comprehend. She was almost tempted of accusing him of dark magic... Cloud naps were a sacred thing after all.

"It's not." The usually friendly teacher voice of Twilight was replaced by the ice cold voice of "Dr. Science McCrazy Pants." (according to Pinkie Pie) "I'm sorry girls but I have some research to do. Silver it was nice to meet you." She turned and trotted inside mumbling something to herself.

Silver expected all the girls to be offended or at least freaked out about their friend's abrupt departure, but as he scanned the table, they were just stretching and finishing off their drinks. "Well my lovelies, There goes our host, we simply must do this more often!" Rarity offered, smiling ear to ear.

"This happen often? Uhh, Princess Twilight I mean." Silver asks, still not knowing how to react to the situation.

"Oh yes dear, all the time. You get used to it. I could imagine what it must look like to you. Trust me when I say it is normal... for her. She simply MUST know everything. It's one of her..." Rarity twists her head looking for a pleasant word. "...Charms." She finishes with a radiant smile.

"Besides, me and you gotta move all those barrels of corn oil into the old silo tomorrow. It won't take as long as apple buckin' but, it's back breaking work." Applejack says, grabbing a sandwich for the road.

"Apple bucking ISN'T backbreaking?!" He moans. "If you says so boss... It was nice to meet you all. This was my first time doing something like this with other ponies... It was fun." Silver smiled and gave his signature bow, told Applejack he was going to run to the store for a wing brush before hopping onto the balcony railing. "Oh and Boss... no breakfast in bed this time please."

"Breakfast in bed huh?" Rainbow teases after he flew off.

"Well at least I didn't give him a wing job THEN almost kiss him." Applejack retorted. Rainbow blushes hard again and groans.

"I don't blame either of you girls for liking him. He's no prince but, he is quite charming in an innocent kind of way, not to mention handsome." Rarity gibed, acting like what she was saying was painfully obvious.

"I don't like him!" The two blushing mares say in unison.

"Of course you don't, that would be just silly. You hardly know him and if that's the case. I may just see if he has plans for tomorrow evening." Rarity smiled devilishly at the two now dumbstruck mares, kissed them both on the cheek and bid them adieu.

Later that evening, Twilight sat at her desk. Piles upon piles of reference materials lay strewn about the area. She was half way done with her fifth book that evening and was no closer to having an answer as to why the new pegasus couldn't manipulate clouds. All the books she had read told her one thing, it was impossible. Either that or he wasn't a pony at all. She ran a hoof down her face and sighed...!!

"Oh no. He isn't a pony at all." She told the darkness. "Then what is he?" Her brain flashes through the encyclopedia of possible creatures he could be, but only one suck out in her mind. Silver was a changling and she was going to prove it.

A fire burning.

The sun was finally setting on AJ's and Silver's long day of playing worker ants. Pick up barrel, move barrel to silo, repeat. Not mentally taxing work by any means but still, neither Applejack or Silver Light said much the entire time. Most ponies didn't have the pleasure of working with the Apple family so they wouldn't realize that being quiet didn't just start and end with Bic Mac. AJ was a very focused pony, Silver found this relaxing. His experiences with mares so far were limited to being accused of theft, being tackled, being gut punched and then being molested... So this was nice.

"Well partner, thanks to your help, I have time to run into town and buy ANOTHER pick-ax. I swear they make those things as cheap as they can." She says, beating her stetson against the side of the silo, trying to get the old grain dust out.

"Who is that sis?" Silver turned around in surprise at this new voice, it sounded strangely like a tiny Applejack.... He saw a tiny Applejack... No that wasn't quite right. She was yellow with a red mane and tail. Failed clone spell maybe? His arrant thoughts were interrupted by two other failed clones next to the first. They were all wearing cloaks not unlike the one he had the first day he came into town.

"Awww Applejack!, is that your coltfriend?!" The mini Rarity squeaked excitedly... Too excitedly for Silver's taste, something told him these tiny copies of his new friends were trouble with a capital T.

"No he ain't, this here's Silver Light. He is helpin' on the farm while your brother's in Appaloosa with cousin Braeburn." Applejack stomped her hoof, trying her best not to be too upset at the always bothersome Cutie Mark Crusaders. Silver bowed his head a little.

The tiny pegasus stepped up and spoke with authority. "AJ, we hereby commandeer the silo for the next 24 hours as to conduct Cutie Mark Crusader business."

"Uh-huh... And what's wrong with the tree house?" Aj asked, ignoring her tone and raising a questioning eyebrow.

"Weellll..." She continued. "We kinda wanted our Cutie Marks in taking care of sick animals, you know like Fluttershy?... Let's just say we won't be bringing any more skunks into the clubhouse anymore." Sweetie and Scootaloo both scrunched their noses in disgust and agreement. Apple Bloom on the other hoof, just glared at the other two.

"I'm tellin' you girls, there was no skunk!" Apple Bloom stomped her foot and snorted at her friends. "We had squirrels, rabbits, even a toad but no skunks."

"Well then, how to you explain the smell? I bet one went in there when we weren't looking or you don't know what a skunk looks like!" Sweetie Belle retorted with a squeaky comeback.

"Yep, Triple Trouble." Silver thought, not taking his eyes off the crusaders.

"How else would you explain that smell?" Scootaloo asked, with both eyebrows raised.

Applebloom hesitated, "I..I don't rightly know... All I know is, skunks smells like skunks, not... warm rotten eggs.

Applejack looked between the three arguing fillies and sighed. "You girls are lucky I'm in a good mood today. Go on, just say out of trouble."

The girls shouted a unanimous "yay!" and high-hoofed.

Silver and Applejack were left alone at the door of the silo. "Hon.. you okay?" Applejack leaned in to get a closer look at her partner. His face was downcast and his eyes seemed a million miles away. His usual soft gaze was hardened to a razors edge and to AJ, it was downright unsettling.

"Huh? What, I'm sorry Applejack. I was off in my own little world there for a moment." His face softened to its usual state and he gave her a weary smile.

"As long as you're sure shug." AJ said, not really convinced, but not willing to push the issue.

Silver and Applejack parted ways. She made her way to town while Silver washed the grime off his coat before heading to the house. Granny Smith had taken up her guard post on the porch rocking chair. He laughed at her snoring as he trotted up to the door.

"Shiney!" Silver jumped so high his head hit the wooden ceiling of the aged porch. "Woo wee, ya'll work fast! You should consider marrying my grand daughter. It be a mighty nice thing to have you here all year round."

Pushing the imagine of a blushing Applejack in a white wedding dress out of his mind, he chose to ignore the question. "What do you need Granny?"

"Well Shimmy, I seemed to have misplaced my bourbon. Could you run to the store and get some more for me?"

He sighed at his grossly misspoken name and nodded. "Misplaced my flank ya old dirty drunk."

"Ohhh Applejackk." Applejack had been fuming over whether it was more cost effective to buy one expensive pick or two cheep picks when she heard the sing song voice of Rarity.

"Well hey Rares. Whatcha doin' out of the shop so early? Slow day?" AJ asks with a hug.

Rarity fumes for a second. "Unfortunately it was quite the opposite dear. I just had to get out of there today. This prissy mare from Canterlot came in wanting a brand new, all original dress done by this evening and I told her I just simply couldn't do it, not with the Gala coming up. She began to throw the most un-ladylike tantrum, I swear Applejack it was like I was talking to a foal... Enough about me, how's that handsome new stallion working out?" A mischievous smile forming on her lips.

Applejack rolled her eyes. "He's good Rares...Why?"

Her smile widens. "Ohh no reason... It IS just you and him, in the fields, all alone, with no Big Mac... getting sweaty..." She trails off, seeing if her friend was catching on. Judging by the bright red on her face, she got it.

"Rarity! Of all the... I would never.." Applejack starts to fume, but glances at her friend who was stifling a laugh. "Annnd you're kiddin'"

Rarity laughs out loud, barely able to stand up. She wipes a tear from her eye. "Oh dear, you are just too much sometimes." Rarity snorts, poking Applejack in the ribs. Aj chuckles at her friends antics. Applejack thinks to herself that Rarity must have had a rough day, she doesn't get this way unless shes had a couple of glasses of wine in her.

Rarity looks over Applejack's shoulder to see the Silver approaching, a paper bag clutched under his wing. "Hey, what's up girls?"

They both giggled. "Ohhh, nothing." Rarity says in her sing-song tone, putting back on her mischievous smile.

"Don't listen to her Silver." Applejack quickly jumps in. "She's crazy."

Rarity gives AJ an incredulous look. "Applejack, as the element of honesty, you shouldn't be lying to Mr. Silver like that."

Applejack smirks and raises and eyebrow and her friend. "I wasn't."

Silver suppresses a laugh at the blank look on Rarity's face. "Oh, HA, HA. Well played dear."

Aj tips her hat at the compliment and the three begin the walk back to Sweet Apple Acres.

The three saunter shoulder to shoulder back to Sweet Apple Acres, laughing and joking about the different ponies they have had to put up with over the years. Applejack had the Flim Flam Brothers, twice. Rarity had Suri Polomare, who stole her original fabric. Silver on the other hoof had Chief White Fang, of the southern saber cats. The old tiger was really, REALLY mad that his daughter had taken a shine to an outsider when Silver was searching for their "Tooth of the father". He swore he only saw the girl once but it didn't matter. Right before Silver had to explain how he is technically married to a saber cat, he caught a whiff of smoke on the air.

"Somepony is cooking something," He said, closing his eyes and taking a deep sniff.

"Yep, Smells kind of off though, don't it?" Applejack's eyes turn toward the horizon, toward Sweet Apple Acres. A dark black cloud of smoke was rising over the trees. "I see it..."

Applejack's eyes went wide. Rarity saw the terror in her friend's face and knew what had occurred. The Crusaders.

"I'm going ahead." Without giving them a chance to reply, Silver dropped his parcel, spread his wings and took to the sky, leaving his two new friends holding on to their hats. Thankfully they weren't that far from the farm and after clearing the treetops he could clearly see their worst fears were true. The silo in which they had spent all morning moving barrels into, was engulfed in flames. Due to his pegasus eyesight he could make out a tiny figure falling from the single silo window, which was near the top of the three story structure. He snapped into a dive to catch the filly. She tumbled and fought to keep some wind under her wings but it was no use. Just before the ground met her, she was caught by the 'not Applejack's colt-friend'. Silver flew nearby and sat her down on the ground. Upon closer inspection, he recognized the filly as the mini Rainbow Dash. She probably had a broken leg plus her wing tips and mane were a bit singed but nothing too serious, she was thankfully still breathing.

"Sweetie...Belle.... Apple...Bloom... inside. Not...A...Skunk." Was all she could muster between gasps, before vomiting and passing out. Probably from exhaustion and, he guessed, smoke inhalation.

Thousands of scenarios ran through his mind. He looked to the door of the silo. The old wood had buckled and splintered with the heat, there was no way he could buck it open without compromising the entire structure, plus a large amount of fresh oxygen would just further fuel the inferno. He looked to the window that mini Rainbow jumped out of, large beams crisscrossed the opening. There was the same issue there as with the front door. He knew what he had to do... he had to make his own hole, find the girls, then escape without being roasted alive.... too easy right. He took to the air just as Rarity and Applejack galloped up.

"Take care of her, the others are inside. Find somepony to put out this fire!" He shouts to the girls before climbing into the clouds above the grain silo.

Taking a deep breath he pitched into a dive once again, aiming for a spot opposite of the large window. Just before he made contact with the wooden roof, Silver crossed his wings together into a spear point trying to cover his face. With loud crash he broke through the roof and plummets into the fiery abyss.

The two girls watched in horror as Silver disappears into a pillar of fire. Silver was gone for almost a full two minutes, they could only assume the worst: he was dead and so were their sisters. They both stood there on the verge of tears, helpless to do anything but wait for this nightmare to be over. Applejack finally spoke up.

"Rarity, I can't wait anymore. I'm going in there. He's taking too long. What if they're stuck, or passed out?! Rarity, I can't lose her too!" The usually stalwart mare is frantic and tears were streaming down her face. Rarity knew what she meant. She remembered when Applejack lost her parents, if anything happened to little Applebloom or Sweetie Belle... She had to say something but was interrupted by the sound of wings. During their conversation, Twilight and Rainbow had seen the smoke and had flown over to investigate.

Twilight has to almost shout over the sound of the roaring fire. "Girls!, What's going on? Where is..."

The silo seethed, trying to hold on to life like a dying beast, but it was too late. It's aged walls bowed and splintered, sending flaming chunks of wood in every direction. The explosion was so loud, it could be heard all the way in Canterlot. A large piece flew right toward the gathered mares. Twilight had just enough time to put up a barrier around the group, shielding them from the debris, but unfortunately not the temperature. The four turned their bodies away from the surge of heat. Thankfully, it didn't do any permanent damage but even at this distance, it seared their coats and left the smell of burnt hair in the wind. The apple trees that were unlucky enough to have grown near the silo were ripped from the ground, leaving nothing but charred remains. Applejack didn't have words. She just stood there, eyes wide in shock. Her stetson had blown off, taken by the heated shock wave.

"No, no, no, NO!. APPLEBLOOM!" She sprinted toward the crater where her silo once stood. Twilight reached out with her magic, picking her up and halting her advance.

"Applejack, it's way too dangerous!"

"Twilight! Let me go! Please! Please.. I can't... I can't, not again..." Applejack begged, fought, and struggled against the alicorn's magic before finally wrenching into broken sobs.

"There is nothing you can do now Applejack..." Twilight didn't want to say it out loud, not now, but there is no way any pony could have survived an explosion like that, especially not THAT kind of fire. Even if she had her shield up during the time of ignition, she wasn't sure if she would be walking away from this one. Even her brother, whose specialty was abjuration spells, would have been hurt.

Rarity witnessed all that occurred, same as Applejack, same as every pony... But this couldn't possibly be real. This was a play or a movie, or another one of the Cutie Mark Crusaders plans gone wrong again. Any moment now, the girls would come sulking out of the house covered in cake batter after trying their hooves at baking again. She would give them a mild tongue lashing, hug them and then would show them how to make a cake without making a mess of themselves and the kitchen. Her, almost, schizophrenic internal monologue was cut off by the sound of tiny sobs from behind her. The girls all turned in unison to see a small, burnt filly trying her best to stand up with only three good legs, her other was already swollen and bent awkwardly to the side. The girls didn't realize in all their yelling, that Scootaloo had seen everything.

The assembly of mares all stood together, watching the remainder of the smoldering wood flicker out in the dying light of the day. Just like that, in the blink of an eye, two tiny lives were snuffed out. Rarity sat on her haunches, running through all the things that her sister would never get to experience. Her first kiss, her first coltfriend, her first dance... her cutie mark that she tried desperately to get. She could almost hear her sweet, squeaky voice now. "Wait.."

"Sweetie belle?" Rarity asked in a soft questioning tone. Fearing if she spoke too loud, it would scare the voice away. She squinted and turned toward the near edge of the darkening apple orchard.

"Rarity?" A teeny, strained voice called back.

Stepping out of the shadows and on to the road, limped a black, singed, smokey, but ALIVE Sweetie Belle. Rarity galloped toward her sister, sliding almost tackling her in the dirt.

"I thought I had lost you." Rarity whispered through tears. Sweetie smiled as big as she could and buried her face into her sisters coat, effectively covering it in soot. Her own tears exposing little trails of white under her eyes.

Applejack had a moment of bitter sweet happiness before she heard a familiar voice of her own. "I'm here too sis." Trotting out of the woods strode Applebloom. Her yellow coat seemed pretty clean, considering how dirty her friends was. Applejack didn't run toward her sister like Rarity did. She just collapsed in the road, covering her eyes with her hooves and sobbing.

"Aww, don't you be gettin' all mushy on me now big sis." Applebloom jokingly chided her older sister, before she was taken in an enormous bear hug from the strong earth pony. Applejack ignored her smaller sibling's pleas for air while twirling her around laughing and crying at the top of her lungs.

"But how... How did you..." Rainbow Dash half asked, looking between the two fillies, who had rejoined up with their hobbling, crying Scootaloo.

They both turned toward the treeline and pointed. As if on cue, Silver slowly emerged from the woods his head hung low. The adults gasped at what they saw. The usual goofy and awkward stallion was missing most of his already short mane. Most of the feathers of his left wing were burned down to the calamus and his right wing hung unmoving. The tips of the feathers etched the ground in meandering patterns as he walked. His breath came out in ragged gasps. His left eye was almost swollen shut and bruising could already be seen around the socket. Blood seemed to be either dried or burned around his nostrils and left ear. He was covered in various cuts and scrapes but that's not what held their attention. What had them shaken was his eyes; Narrowed and fixated on a point some thousands of miles away. They seemed to capture and hold the firelight. Unbeknownst to even themselves, all the girls felt the same thing. Those eyes were hiding something primal behind them, something ancient... Something terrifying. All but the Crusaders involuntarily took a step back.

Breaking out of her silence, Applejack spoke. "Sweet Celestia... Are...Are you okay sugar cube?"

Sensing something was wrong, Silver blinked away the steel from his face and gave them a crooked smile. "WHAT?!" The girls jumped at the sudden volume of his voice.

"I THINK I RUPTURED AN EARDRUM! YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO TALK LOUDER!" He finished, digging a hoof into his left ear, working his jaw and letting out a "Mawp"

They all blink in amazement at his sudden change and all but Twilight, begin to laugh out loud. "That's not possible." She whispers, under the laughter of her friends.

The three fillies help one another over to their savior. "Are you gonna be okay Mr. Silver? You weren't moving, we thought you were..." Applebloom coughed, eyeing his injuries. The unicorn and the earth pony, not knowing much about wings, don't have any clue as to how bad his wounds actually are. Scootaloo on the other hoof, almost throws up again at the sight and her eyes begin to fill with tears.

"What's wrong Scoots?" Sweetie wheezes out.

Given the stress of the day, it's no surprise that she couldn't keep her internal monolouge, internal. She looks to Rainbow Dash and whispers loud enough for every pony to hear. "He'll never fly again."

This new information doesn't take long to sink in to the fillies. Silver would never fly again and it was all their fault. He sees, just in time, the waterworks beginning up again and he quickly kneels down to their level and smiles.

"Hey, hey... Shhh, It's okay...None of that now. I knew what I was risking when I went into that building, and if losing a wing is the price I have to pay for keeping you three safe, then my only regret is only having one more wing to give." He figures this would stop the tears before they started falling, but the sweet words only helped them reach the point of bawling. All at once they rushed him, unfortunately opening up a few scabbed over wounds in the process but he didn't show it.

"It's okay, I promise. No matter what happens, I'm just glad you three are okay. Besides, I've been through worse. I'll be fine... I'll just be bald for awhile." The girls sniffle, giggle and pull away from him, satisfied with his answer.

"You aren't possible. You should be a pile of cinders."

All heads turn to the Princess of Friendship... and apparently princess of ruining touching moments.

"Geese Twi, what's your deal?" Rainbow shouts accusingly. "Every pony is fine, why does it matter why? Just be thankful that they are all okay."

Twilight snorts and stomps her hoof into the ground. "Because Rainbow Dash, That wasn't normal fire. That was Dark fire... You know? Infernal fire?!"

"Uhh, should we know what that is Twi?" Rainbow asks, not really expecting she'd get an answer.

Twilight lets out an exasperated sigh. "I suppose not, but either way, I've got some research to do. I'll fly back to town and get the fire ponies to help put this out. We have to make sure this doesn't spread. I don't sense anymore infernal fire so we should be okay. Plus I guess he ISN'T a changling either..."

"Woah, woah... Twi? You thought Silver was a changling? Why the hey would you think that?" Rainbow shouts, trying not to laugh at Twilight's ridiculous assumption.

"Because... The no cloud thing... I guess." She says out loud, just realizing how ridiculous she actually sounded.

"Whatever Twi, I'm going to fly Scoots here to the hospital and get her checked out. Tomorrow, you and I are going to do some research together about that very subject." Every pony in earshot did a double take to Rainbow dash. Even Twilight looked at her like SHE was a changling.

Rainbow scoffs at the stares. "Look, being a pegasus is important to me alright? I just want to make sure our new friend has a chance to experience all it has to offer. No need to think me buddy." She smiles at Silver.

Twilight looks over to him. "You need to go too Silver and sorry, I just... I don't know why I would think that." Twilight said in an apologetic tone. He grunts and smiles in agreement. "I'll make my way there, just need to catch my breath. I'll go with the fire ponies when they get here and it's okay princess. It IS kind of strange, but I can promise you, I'm no changling. They only have the ability to mimic speech. So that would've been your first clue."

...She didn't know that... How did he know that? Twilight files that in her, better ask later, folder in her head and headed out for the fire ponies.

After Rainbow and Twilight left, Rarity finally let go of Sweetie Belle and the filly ran/limped off to Applejack and Applebloom who were still locked in a bear hug. Rarity walks up to the unattended pegasus, who seemed deep in thought and put her head on his shoulder, nuzzling his neck. "Thank you Mr. Light, for saving my sister. I don't know how I'll ever repay you..." She trails off.

Silver smiles. "Just tell her not to make a habit of getting caught in a fire then blown up and we can call it even."

Rarity muses at how he can be so cheery, given his state. "Do you have any idea on what Twilight was talking about with... Dark fire? Seems like she spends so much time in her books she can't recall fiction from non-fiction." Rarity begins to smile but it quickly fades when she sees that he isn't laughing. A bit of the look he had earlier had crept its way back into his face.

He nods his head slowly, looking at the crater. "I know what Dark Fire is. In my native tongue we call it. Kothar ixen or Demon Fire."

"Do you have any idea on what caused it?" Rarity asks hopefully.

Silver looks at her, then back to the wreckage. He pauses for a moment before shaking his head.

Rarity looks deep into his swollen face before narrowing her eyes at him.... "Liar"

Minutes earlier.

Silver plummets into the inferno of the silo. The pain was immediate. All of the arrant, un-preened feathers he had, burst into cinders. Due to the hole in the roof that he had just made, the smoke clears out enough for him to see, if only temporarily. The next thing he notices is the all too familiar smell of brimstone. It was the same rotten egg smell the crusader clones had been talking about earlier. He knew immediately that this fire wasn't an accident. Someone or rather someTHING had been stalking the Cutie Mark Crusaders and it had just made its move. He scans the room for the fillies, unfortunately they weren't in his immediate vision so he presses on. With little effort, he finds the girls holding one another but neither one of them is moving. Applebloom had thrown herself over top of Sweetie Belle in order to protect her friend from falling debris. Silver moves to scoop them up, but stops after he catches a pair of slitted eyes staring at him through a wall of flame.

"Jaseve rekisix, si tir ti tepoha tairais ihk nibelic!" He shouts over the sound of the roaring fire. (Leave creature, I do not have time for games.)

The entity smiles, exposing row after row of jagged fangs. It speaks in a low, screeching timbre. "These are mine." It says, pointing to the two unconscious fillies. "My food, My play things, MINE!" It lunges forward toward the defenseless Silver. The demon doesn't know what hits it. Silver's left wing shoots out, impacting the dog like creature in the side of its over-sized head, sending it tumbling across the fiery ground. Silver winced at the pain in his wing. Just touching the creature left him burned. The creature turns and charges again. This time Silver rolls backward, using his wings as a spring he places his back hooves in the middle of the thing's chest and bucks hard. He hears the satisfying crunch of its sternum and the creature's cry of pain. It turns again but Silver was running out of time. While the creature debated on whether or not it was going to risk attacking again, Silver scopes the two fillies in his forearms and glares at the demon.

"Noooo, they are miiineee." It hissed and readied for another charge.

Silver raised his wings above him and growled at the beast. "Confn kothar, erlelee dout sulta." (Come demon, embrace your end)

The creature was confused for a moment before it felt the small hairs on its charred skin rise up. Looking between Silver's wings, it sees bolts of electricity arch back and forth. By the time it decided it was going to run, it was too late. Silver wills a bolt of lightning across the silo. It impacts the demon square in the chest, disintegrating the abomination where it stood. In hind-sight, Silver wish he knew more about this particular demon, because had he know that upon death the corrupted arcane energies in its body cause it to explode, he would have been a little further away. Silver had just enough time to wrap the two small bodies in his wings and brace for impact.

Silver came to somewhere in a nearby part of the apple orchard. He stood and did his best to shake away the inevitable concussion. He unfurled his wings to find that the two fillies were missing. Panicked, he hobbles around looking for tracks. He sees two small sets of hoof prints and follows them toward the sounds of crying and laughing.

Silver painfully made his way to the voices, his mind running on over drive. Why was that thing here? What did it want with the fillies? What do I tell the girls? I guess it doesn't really matter... Those demons can do whatever they please, cause I'm going to destroy them all. Silver looks up to find that he had wandered all the way to the road where Twilight, Rainbow, Applejack and Rarity had gathered with the three Crusaders. They seem terrified, what are they looking at?... He recoiled internally, they were terrified of him. He saw it in their faces. He was pretty sure they didn't catch on to what he actually was, but he knew they had seen something.

Present

The group stood in awe at the scattered remains of the burned out silo. The adrenalin had finally worn off and shock had finally sat in as to how lucky they had gotten. Rarity collapses on the ground, just short of fainting. The other girls gather around her and whisper sweet things to the stunned mare.

"Just what in the...Applejack! What happened to my silo?!" Granny Smith hobbles up to the group, her mouth practically dragging the ground.

Applebloom eyes her grandmare. "Granny, didn't you hear the explosion?! It was like BAARROOOMMM." She jumps into the air, trying to signal how large of an explosion it actually was.

"A what now? Honey child, when you git to be my age. The only thin' that wakes you up in the middle of the night is needin' to hit the outhouse."

The girls laugh as Silver limps up to Granny.

"Hey Granny I was wondering. Are sure you don't have any of that bourbon left? I'm going to need something a little stronger than cider tonight.

Quiet truth.

"Silver Light? The doctor says you're good to go. Just try and stay off your hooves for a few weeks. Make sure to keep those wounds dressed, and no more burning buildings okay?" Nurse Redheart winks and stamps his discharge papers.

"No promises." He smirks back.

Silver exits the main lobby and pauses to bask in the sunlight. After being cooped up for almost a week, it feels amazing to have the cool afternoon air sooth his bruised body. Finally out of sight of the hospital he takes in an over-sized breath and sighs. Hospitals were never his favorite. He begins his walk back to Sweet Apple Acres, he should be smiling more. He got out of a pretty messy situation with no pony, other that himself, seriously injured but he has another problem. He's being followed.

The trot through the town is surprisingly pleasant, despite is tail, no pun intended. Word has spread of what happened and what he had done for the fillies. It wasn't even a week ago he was being looked at, by some, as an outsider. Not that they treated him badly but, he just didn't feel like he belonged. His face hurt after the first twenty minutes of walking because of the constant smiling.

"Where they always this friendly?" He wonders to himself.

Silver reaches the long dusty road that connected Ponyville with Sweet Apple Acres, now he knows he's being followed. He does his best to trot ahead and duck into the orchard without making too much noise. He hides behind a tree, waiting for his pursuer. He turns his head to the direction he came from and focuses his ears. He picks up unusual hoof steps. *Clop, Clop, Clop, THUNK*. *Clop, Clop, Clop, THUNK* Silver didn't think there was any beast or pony that would attack him in broad daylight. Unless their plan was to get him on this road and drag him into the orchard. "Astahii geou ehtah ekik svabol shinaltic svadrav astahii slathalin vi ezoukea dara..... Scootaloo?"

The filly squeaked and lost her balance as Silver's sudden voice came out of the orchard. "Jeeze! What's the big idea sneaking up on my like that?!" She shouts from her side. She stands, favoring her rear left leg which was in a cast.

"Really, this coming from the filly that has been following me ever since I left the hospital?" He questions.

She looks down, making shapes in the dirt with her hoof. "I tired to see you when you were in the hospital, honest... But you always had some pony around you, or you were sleeping, or I was nervous..."

"Why would that matter?" He narrows his eyes a bit, slightly confused at her demeanor.

"Cause, I didn't want any pony to know what I saw, they might think I'm crazy or something... just like mommy..." She looks up at him, a mixture of hope and terror on her face.

Silver looks around to see if any pony was within ear shot, looks back to her and sighs. "You're not crazy Scootaloo, at least not in the way you're thinking." She grins at his teasing as a wave of relief washes over her. She looks around, the gears visibly turning in her head.

"Then that means?..." She trails off, tears begin to form in her eyes. "Wh..what was that... thing." She stutters. Silver sighs again.

"Look, I am not going to lie to you, but I'm not going to tell you any details either, it will give you nightmares. It came after you and your friends and now it won't, that's all you need to know okay?" This may have sounded like a question, but Scootaloo knew it was a statement. He wasn't going to tell her. Silver bows his head goodbye and continues his painful march back to the farm. He was ninety-nine percent sure the filly would leave it alone and go about her day, boy was he wrong.

"How do you know?!" Her fear and uncertainty bubbling to the surface. "How do you know it won't come back?! It talked to me Mr. Silver! It said... horrible things! It called me it's play thing. It told me it was going to do awful things to me and my friends. PLEASE." She begs. "Please... I haven't slept... I have already HAVE nightmares. I see it's face when I close my eyes, I hear it breathing from under my bed... Please I can't... I can't go on like this." Her voice echoes through the orchard.

She weakly flops to the ground, physically and emotionally exhausted. Silver turns and slowly walks until he is standing over the sobbing filly and puts a hoof on her shoulder. "Did your friends see it too?" He asks in serious whisper, searching her face. She sniffles and shakes her head. "No just me, I was playing in the back near the stairs when it came. I smelled it before I saw it. It was the same smell as the clubhouse, like rotten eggs. I screamed and right when the fire started, I tried to move to Applebloom and Sweetie Belle but they were already passed out because of the smoke, I tried to run but it attacked me and.." She points to her leg. "So I jumped out the window and went to get help and that's when you caught me..."

Silver nods his head, "'Thankfully she is the only one'. Okay Miss Scootaloo, what I am about to tell you, you can never EVER speak to another living soul, am I clear?" She looks up at him and begins a chant, complete with motions.

"Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye." She finishes by placing her hoof over her puffy eye. Silver didn't know whether to take her seriously or not.

"What? It's a Pinkie promise... It's a pretty big deal." She says with a serious look on her face.

Silver slowly nods and clears his throat. "It was a demon Scootaloo, and not some silly red horned creature from a story book but a real life abomination. As I said before, no details. It was after you because you are fillies, young and innocent. It waited until it thought you were alone before it attacked." He didn't think she could get any paler but with this new information, the remaining color in Scootaloo's face drains away. He puts another reassuring hoof on her other shoulder.

"Relax, It's okay. It's gone. It won't bother you again and now that they know I'm here, neither will any others." He reassures her.

"But what if.." She starts but he finishes her question for her. "..It comes back? It won't, I made sure of it."

"You mean you..." She gulps. "Killed it?" .

"No... In order for one to kill something, it had to be alive in the first place. That... creature and all like it are pure evil, twisted together into flesh. They are usually just smart enough to know what cruelty is and are driven to do unspeakable things. In this case, hunt down and consume innocent foals."

"How...how do you know that?" She asked, not really sure if she should be relieved or alarmed.

"Because, and it is very important you don't tell any pony else... That is my special talent Scootaloo... I hunt things that would hurt others. Not just ponies but all good things in this world. I've been doing it for a long time now."

Scootaloo takes a minute to process but her racing thoughts are cut off by a question.

"Do you know what a Paladin is Scootaloo?" She shakes her head and tries to answer. "Is it like a... solider?" She asks.

Silver nods slightly. "In a way yes, a Paladin, or should I say THE Paladin is a warrior, he protects those things in this world we call precious. Hope, kindness, love... Fillies that like to get into trouble." She laughs. "He isn't part of any kingdom or loyal to any one race, they go where they are needed most because he, or she." He corrects, remembering his history. "Protects every one equally. From what I was told when I was a young stallion, the universe only allows one Paladin at a time, and they only appear when the world needs them most. Which is what scares me Scootaloo. I am here... so why am I needed? ...Do you understand?"

She nods. "It's like you can't just go out and do your special talent like every pony else can, like Rainbow Dash. She can go and fly as fast as as much as she wants to, but you... You have to wait for something bad or scary to happen before you can do yours... And that means something bad is going to happen, right?"

"Perhaps, but nothing is set in stone. It is difficult AND very stressful talent and that is why I can't let anypony know that I exist, not until I don't have a choice. I can't have ponies running around in a panic, plus if the bad things know where i'm at, they will avoid me. You see this bracelet? This, along with my sword, are symbols of my Paladin-hood and a constant reminder that I have a duty to uphold." Silver finishes by letting Scootaloo get a closer look at it. She takes his foreleg in hers and peers at the ordinary looking bracelet.

"Like the princesses' crowns? Or like our Cutie Mark Crusader cloaks! They remind us that we are friends and to never stop looking for our special talents! But this.. It looks so plain." She says, disbelief on her face. "Oh.. sorry I just.."

Silver laughs. "You're right Scootaloo, It is rather plain. The Paladin shouldn't be interested in such things, greed and vanity cloud the mind...How much do you think this weighs?" He asks, removing the bangle.

"Uhh, I don't know... not much I guess. Why?" Silver places the object at her hooves and motions for her to pick it up. She shrugs and reaches down.... It won't budge. She narrows her eyes taking this as some kind of challenge or puzzle to be solved. She scoots closer and uses both of her hooves in an effort to move the thing. She even uses her wings to try and simply push the metal ring around but nothing works. After a minute of two, she is sweating and breathing hard.

"Maybe...it...is...special." She heaves. Silver simply smiles.

"Now, remember what I said... No pony. Now, go home and get some rest. We both need it." He turns and shows his bandages. She smiles up at him, looking and feeling one thousand percent better than she had in the last week.

"Oh... Mr. Silver.... Thank you... For saving us I mean. You didn't have to..." She trials off, looking back at the dirt.

"Maybe, maybe not, but I believe if a pony has the ability to help, they have the RESPONSIBILITY to help... And thank you Scootaloo."

"For what?"

"For not letting me forget it. I have kind of been... ignoring my duties for the past few months."

She grins. "Every pony needs a break sometime Mr. Light, and I don't blame you... That thing was scary. Oh! Umm, Princess Twilight has a huge library in her castle, she's a bit of an egg head...so if you wanted to know more about.. you-know-what..." Silver ponders this for a minute before nodding. "Yes, actually it does. Thank you again Scootaloo." She smiles bright and begins her skipping hobble back to town. After a few steps she turns around to watch him leave.

"OH! Mr. Silver! You forgot your bracelet!" She points to the silver ring in the road. He turns slightly to look over his shoulder and she sees the bangle hovers in the air and shoot toward him. He doesn't even pick up his hoof, but somehow it clamps back over his left foreleg. Silver grins at her shocked expression. He nods one more goodbye and continues his walk.

Silver walks alone down the well worn path leading to the hill Granny Smith said Applejack was probably relaxing at. He was supposed to be helping her all week but he had been so distracted by his injuries and worries, he forgot that he left her all alone. As he passes the trees he gawks at all the empty apple trees. "Sweet sisters, that mare can work." He marvels to himself.

Just ahead, he sees the hill Granny had mentioned and, to her credit, there sat Applejack. Her stetson sat on the ground beside her, mane hanging loose without its usual red scrunchy to keep it in place. She sits chin up, face soaking in the sun. The golden rays spilling between her blond hair. Her eyes are closed and Silver could see the slow rise and fall of her chest as she breaths in the early evening sky. He had something to say but couldn't. His words caught in his throat and all he can do is stare. "Vor" She jumps a bit and turns her head to meet the star struck pegasus.

Silver about melts when she looks at him with her green eyes. Demons, Devils, creatures of the night. He could take any of them on without so much as a flinch, but here sits this mare; stealing the very breath from his lungs.

"Hey there stranger. Glad to see you up and about." All he can do is nod.

"You okay sugar?" She asks tilting her head to the side. She slowly walks over to him, peering at his multiple bandages, taking an extra long look at his left wing, which is completely covered in white gauze. "I never did thank you for what you did for my family... So here it is." She sits ups straight and clears her throat. "Thank you Silver Light, for saving my sister and her friends. Applebloom, Big Macintosh and Granny are all I have left in this world, I don't know what..." She stifles a sob which snaps Silver out of his daze.

"I... You're welcome Applejack." He nods.

The two sit alone on top of the hill, lost in the moment. Applejack stares into his amber eyes and without warning, leans in and places her lips upon his. She starts off soft at first then presses hard. All the emotions of the last week pour out through her kiss. Silver holds, relishing the feeling and taste of her lips. He feels her breath against his mouth as she searches for more. She moves a hoof to his chest, trying her best not to touch any injury. She moans which causes his wings to stiffen. Silver winces which promptly stops the kiss.

"Oh, I'm sorry Silver... I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me. I just..." Silver places a hoof over her lips and holds her cheek. "It's okay Applejack. A lot has happened in such a short time. Lets just go get supper and we can... talk once we've healed, deal? " He suggests. She nods and the two slowly face the direction of the house, but not before she turns and kisses him deep once more. "And that's so you don't forget." She smiles and flips her tale across his face. Today turned out to be pretty good after all.

Twilight and Rarity sit across from one another in the second floor of her new library, overlooking the first. They had been up there all morning debating the issue of their new visitor turned every pony's favorite hero.

"And you're sure about this Rarity? I mean... It's not that I doubt you but... That's pretty serious."

"Twilight, I would stake my Cutie Mark AND fashion sense on it. Silver Light lied when I asked him if he knew what caused the fire.... You don't think he started it do you!?" Rarity gasps at her sudden realization.

Twilight pondered for a moment but quickly interjects. "No, I know what kind of magic I felt. It was unmistakable. There is no way he did it. Infernal fire is some of the most wicked forces known to pony kind. If he did have the ability to use it, I would have sensed it the moment he came to dinner."

"Well... What are we going to do then Twilight? I mean.. He did save Sweetie Belle, which I am grateful for but... I just can't trust him knowing he lied to my face. I mean literally Twilight, right to my face."

"I know Rarity and I think I have a solution." Twilight opens the wooden box that had been sitting on the table. Inside sat a large semi-transparent crystal orb.

"It's quite beautiful Twilight...what is it?" Rarity asks, looking at her distorted reflection in its surface.

"It's a scrying orb. It lets me view any pony, place or thing given that you know the magic and have the.. proper... component." Twilight fumbles in the box for a moment before pulling out a grey-cobalt feather.

"Is that Silver's?" Rarity beams

Twilight nods. "I went back to investigate the scene the next day to see what I could find. Most ponies know that under the right conditions, grain silos can spontaneously explode. So that covers his trail if something WAS going on... I saw this in the woods next to what I assume was where he landed. I picked it up and got the idea to scry on him. Pretty ingenious huh?" She gave herself a small pat on her back.

"Yes dear, very clever of you. Now, how does it work?" Rarity asks, ushering her along.

"Easy. You just put this here and." Twilight puts the feather in between herself and the orb and focuses her magic. Immediately the orb begins to swarm and swirl a rainbow of colors before it comes to focus above a familiar stallion.

"Well that was quick." Rarity remarks, surprised it worked so well.

"Yeah a little too quick." Twilight agrees.

"Well... What's he doing?" Rarity asks excitedly. "Do you think we got lucky enough to catch him in the shower?"

"Rarity!" Twilight whisper-shouts.

"What? Just because he can't be trusted, doesn't mean I can't think he gorgeous." Twilight rolls her eyes and peers into the orb. Silver sat on a long red bench clutching a book in his uninjured wing. Twilight inspects the image before asking, "Rarity, does that bench look awfully familiar to you?"

"Now that you mention it yes, yes it does." The girls look at one another before peering into the first floor of the library. Off to one side sits Silver on a red conditioned bench, reading a book. Silver looks up from his book, feeling a strangers eyes upon him. He quickly glances around and looks up to where the girls are spying on him from. Just before he can see them, the girls "Eeep" and lean back from the railing.

"Whew, that was a close one." Twilight says, putting the feather in the box and closing it.

"Yes, might I suggest we do this under more... Private conditions next time?" Rarity asks, still breathing heavy from the excitement of almost getting caught. Twilight nodded in agreement.

"Princess Twilight!" A loud voice from behind the two, already nervous mares make them squawk and jump out of their chairs.

"Sweet Celestia Derpy, you scared the hay outta me!" Twilight shouted.

A few visitors at the library give Twilight a long" Shuush." before turning back to their reading.

The mail-mare blushes. "Sorry Twilight, I have a letter for you. It's from princess Luna." Twilight thanks her and turns to Rarity.

"Well open it dear. I wonder what in Equestria princess Luna could be sending you." Rarity whispers excitedly. Twilight shruggs and uses her magic to open the envelope.

"Dear Princess Twilight Sparkle... yada yada... I've been asked to host....yada yada... Newly discovered artwork... yada yada... would ask if you and the elements would...yada yada... GRAND GALLOPING GALLA!"

The library patrons all give her another glare and "Shuuuuush."

Twilight blushes again and turns, giddy, toward Rarity. "Luna wants out help hosting the Grand Galloping Gala this year!" She claps her hooves together faster than a humming birds wings. "She wants you to be in charge of the..."Adult beverages."

Rarity groans. "Drinks? Not that I'm complaining dear but... why not the decorations or something more my...fort'e?"

"She doesn't say, but look." Twilight pulls six VIP tickets from the envelope, each addressed to them specifically. "VIP Rarity, VIP. We may actually get to put some FUN into the Gala for once!"

Rarity ponders for a moment before frowning. "Two things Twilight. One: I don't know any bartenders, not to mention one good enough for the gala. All those high class ponies and their high class drinks... I love cider just as much as the next pony but, this IS the Gala we are talking about. Two: What about... you know who? He will be here all alone in Ponyville with no pony to keep an eye on him. What if he IS bad news?"

Twilight rests her head in her hooves. Rarity watching the different faces of her friend's cognitive struggle before a light bulb appears over her head. "I got it, we can solve both problems with the same solution. We take him with us."

Rarity raises a questioning eyebrow. Twilight ignores her. "Remember at dinner? He mentioned doing, ship-building, maps and bartending. Even if he's not up to snuff, the Gala isn't for another month right? We can train him and keep an eye on him. Not just now but when we go to the Gala. Plus, he can't really do anything else. He will be sure to agree, he said so himself. He can't sit still." Twilight finishes, a huge accomplished grin on her face.

"Twilight my dear, you are a scary mare." Rarity quips.

Twilight sits up and flips her mane. "I know."

The next day, Twilight paces a circular path around the pillar in her study. Her eyes fixate on the small orb on top containing the tiny image of Silver. He lays sprawled out on the same bench he had been on the previous day. Rarity had been there but went home a few hours ago in order to get a head start on the many dress and tux requests for the upcoming Grand Galloping Gala, which left Twilight to stew on her own. Shortly after Rarity left, Twilight moves to her room and continues her scrying. She watches intently for any sign of Silver's treachery. Despite her near super-pony level of attention to detail, she can't find anything but her own frustrations.

"AHHH, Do something evil! Do something bad! Do...ANYTHING." Twilight flops to her back, feeling the cool crystal floor between her wings. She never realized how good it felt. She sighs thinking all is lost until Silver stiffens on his bench. His eyes focus and scan the area, probably to see if any pony is around. Twilight edges her muzzle as close as she could get it to the crystal ball. "This is it, I've got you now." Silver rears his head back and sneezes into his wing, he sniffs and goes back to reading. Twilight moans and slinks down the pillar to the floor. "I'm done. D-U-N done." She giggles at her self.

She puts the scrying orb away and flops to her bed. "Jeeze, why is it so hot in here?" Her covers feel like they've been sitting next to a furnace all day. She twists and turns trying to get comfortable until her back legs rub together in an awkward way, eliciting an involuntary moan from her lips. "Ohh, no, no, no. Not now! I have too much to deal with for this to be happening!" While looking toward the ceiling, she slowly rubs a tentative hoof down her belly. She didn't even need reach her sweet spot before her back leg begins to shake. She moans again, half out of frustration, half out of pleasure. Stupid heat...Twilight knows that it just started and isn't bad yet but if she didn't nip this in the bud, she wouldn't have any time to keep an eye on Silver... " Silver Light...With his charming yet playful smile... His sturdy toned frame holding me down as he moves behind my... " In her sexual frustration, she doesn't notice that Silver had moved. He had already climbed the stairs and was poised, hoof raised to knock on a large wooden door. Twilight's right hoof dug into her mare-hood, while she used the other to hold a pillow to her face. "I'm close Silver, don't stop." She breathes into the pillow.

*KNOCK* KNOCK* KNOCK*. "Twilight, are you in there? I need to talk to you, it's important." The shock and suddenness of Silvers voice, multiplied by the fast that he was the center of her fantasy pushes her over the edge. With a shudder she screams. "SILVER!"

Silver jerks back at the volume of her voice. "She's already mad at me?, probably interrupted an experiment or something." He whispers under his breath. A few moments later, he hears the clip-clop of hooves on crystal and the door cracks open, revealing a disheveled princess, a dreamy smile on her face.

"Is there something you needed, Sssilver Light?" She asks, drawing his name out in a way he found quite erotic.

He pauses before clearing his throat. "I...Umm, I may have some information on the silo fire." He stutters.

"Oh?" She asks in a sultry tone. "...OH! Give me a minute okay." After a few moments of banging, ruffling and the shuffling of books, Twilight opens the door wide enough for him to step in.

"You said something about heat? I mean, no! Not heat its a fire. I mean there is nothing in here on fire or heat... hehe." Twilight sputters and trials off.

Silver studies here for a moment before talking." Uh-huh. Since I'm grounded, I figured I'd do some research of my own, ya know, on the silo fire? I think I found something after putting a few pieces together." Silver moves closer to Twilight and sits the book down on the small reading desk next to her bed. She tenses up, trying her best not to nuzzle his neck, even though it was inches from her face. His voice is muffled as she studies his bandaged wing. Surely he could... preform with injuries as extensive as this, right? I mean.. Her musings ended prematurely when he begins calling her name.

"Uhh, you okay Twilight? You seem... Distracted."

"Me? Yep, fine fine. Just... Ummm what are you here for again?" She asks, scooting so close to him their wings touch. Silver freezes up and looks into her face.

"Uhh, I was saying I remember the Cutie Mark Crusaders talking about the smell of rotten eggs shortly before the fire. I did some digging and found this." He motions to a picture of a creature called a Nabasu. Silver knew this isn't what he saw but fit enough that they would buy it. "It says here when they're born, they feeds on the souls of the innocent. That's probably why it was after the girls. The smell is most likely brimstone so... What do you think?"

Focus Twilight, focus... She steadies herself and reads a few lines. She slightly nods, her studious side over powering her urges. "Yeah... it fits actually. How did you come up with this?"

"Active volcanoes as a colt remember? Lots of sulfur. I remember my father saying something about creatures smelling like it or something... kind of an obscure memory but since there wasn't anything else to go on I figured it was worth a look. Plus there's no lava spewing from under Sweet Apple Acres so... 2 plus 2" He smiles, joining his two hooves together to simulate the addition, then poking the book once again.

Color Twilight impressed. It was a little more complicated than 2 plus 2 but still. Not many ponies, other than her, could make a connection like that. She studies his hopeful eyes and blushes. "So do you think that this... Nabasu will come back? I mean, to finish the job? To tell you the truth demonology isn't my strongest subject. I only get bits and pieces if another subject happens to overlap..."

Silver shakes his head. "There is nothing here that says otherwise but I wouldn't be too worried. Cause I blasted that thing with holy lightning! Hahah It failed already. From what I understand most demons are opportunistic hunters, little effort for big rewards, but to be on the safe side, the fillies shouldn't be playing alone anytime soon." Twilight thinks for a moment before nodding. "Agreed, we don't even know IF that's what happened. I usually have a bad habit of overreacting but it seems like you've done your research. I have to say Silver Light, I'm a little surprised."

He lets out a single HA "Why? Cause you thought I was just a dumb, sword slashing, fire jumping, meat head, pegasus pony?"

"Well, I wouldn't of been so blunt but.. yes. A lot of pegasi are, besides Fluttershy." She giggles.

He smiles at this. "I agree, and I don't blame you for thinking that. I'm just different ya know? Always have been, no matter who or WHAT I was around, maybe it's because I've spent a lot of my time alone or how I was raised. Traveling, language barriers, cultural setbacks... It's hard being yourself when everypony expects you to be something else, you kind of get lost in the world."

"Well, you seem pretty normal to me, but then again... My friends and I fought Nightmare Moon, Discord, Tirek... I can't even remember anymore."

"Wux renthisj vis? (You speak truth?) Those are some amazing feats Twilight Sparkle... And that's not even your special talent. Maybe I should be calling you the sword swinging meat head? Well magic swinging in this case."

Twilight laughs out loud. "Well, Give me a good book over adventure any day. That's enough for me."

"In my experience that's enough sometimes, there is great power in knowledge. One of my mothers many sayings is "Irthir majakic wux dastudr svern dout irlymi. It means that knowing more than your adversary gives you the advantage."

She looks at him again with a questioning eyebrow. Silver laughs. "If you know anything about me Twilight it's that I was brains long before I was brawn."

"Sweet Celestia, he's almost perfect.. The next thing he'll tell me is that he owns his own library! Twilight gets a brilliant, heat driven idea. "Say Silver, you know I've been doing some research of my own? I was so interested in how you know draconic that I wanted to learn a little and well... I've been practicing... wanna hear some?"

"Sure." He smiles and motions a hoof for her to continue. Twilight walks away and clears her throat. She lowers her gaze at him and begins to strut, her hips swaying rhythmically with every step. He gulps and tries to back up, only to find a bed behind him. He sits and braces for the slow moving sexy that has her eyes set on him. "Silver..."

"Yeah?" His voice cracks.

"Si tuor wux ekess goawy dout calti persvek sia arabdolvess."

"Uhhh come again?"

"That's the plan stud. I said, Si tuor wux. Ekess goawy. Dout calti. Pervek sia arabdolvess." She finishes with a stunning yet sultry smile.

Silver's brain freezes. Did she just ask me to... He looses it. "AHAHA Twi...Twilight. That was amazing! I... I thought with the way you were walking and...and your face... oh sweet sisters, you really got me! You are a natural by the way!" He finishes wiping away tears from his eyes.

She stutters."D..did I do good? What the buck, I thought for sure I told him I wanted him to take me in my bed.."

"Yeah, it was perfect. I couldn't tell that you weren't completely fluent. If you are really serious then I could give you lessons sometime if you wanted. Honestly, you would be helping me out, now that I'm out of things to research it would give me something to do."

She would have to look up what she said... Whatever it was wasn't as sexy as she thought. Speaking of sexy. "Oh! That reminds me, Rarity needed to ask you something that may help with that. She should be at her shop right now if you wouldn't mind, the sooner the better, it's really important."

"Sure, let me put these books up and I can head over there right now." He smiles, grabbing the book in his good wing.

"Oh you can leave it, I think I will do some studying of my own. It's quite a fascinating subject."

"And don't forget terrifying. There's some really nasty things out there Twilight, I'm sure you're aware."

"I'm not worried Mr. Light. With you around, I'm sure I'm perfectly safe." She gives him a winning smile.

He chuckles as he moves to the door. "More than you know Princess."